Reap The Wild Tree
by RocketJ
Summary: Logan chaperones the kids on a trip to find cut down the mansion's Christmast tree. Sequel to Devil, Jim Beam and Erin.


Logan stood in the school's garage angrily pacing back and forth in front of one of the SUV's. He looked at the clock on the wall. It was already 1:30! Dammit, he'd told those kids one o'clock, no later. Didn't they know it got dark early in the winter and the damn tree farm wasn't going to stay open all night! They had to get up to the farm and choose a tree (which would probably take all afternoon knowing them) before it got dark. He'd reminded them half a dozen times at least that the farm they'd chosen was an hour and half away.  
  
He turned at the sound of loud chatter and stomping footsteps coming from the stairwell leading up to the mansion. Here comes the Wild Bunch, he thought ruefully. Iceman, Pyro and Gambit accompanied by Jubilee and Kitty were all talking and gesturing at once. Rogue followed behind them quietly. They were all wrapped in a motley assortment of parkas, tasseled scarves and pom-pommed hats (Cripes, who dressed kids these days?) since it had already snowed in Columbia County, their eventual destination.   
  
He had crankily questioned Rogue as to why they had chosen a Christmas tree farm that was practically in Albany when they had some perfectly serviceable ones right in their own backyard here in Westchester. She patiently told him that she and the others had been over every web site of every tree farm within driving distance of the school and this one had everything; a live Santa, sleigh rides, refreshments and a large variety of trees. She'd also informed him that they'd chosen him to be their chaperone because he was "Canadian and probably knew all there was to know about cutting down Christmas trees." How could he argue with that?  
  
This whole "cutting down and taming the wild tree" thing had been Marie's idea in the first place and after she'd gotten the okay from Xavier how could he turn her down? She'd asked so sweetly and looked at him with those big soulful brown eyes of hers. He'd never been able to deny her anything since that first day he's stopped to pick her up on the road. He wasn't about to start now. And since this was probably the closest he'd ever come to parenthood he'd learned to accept that she had him wrapped around her little finger. He just wished her loud friends and that shifty boyfriend of hers weren't included in the bargain.  
  
"You okay, Marie? You look a little pale?" He asked as she climbed into the passenger seat next to him.  
  
"What, Logan? Yeah, I'm ok, just have a bit of a sore throat today."  
  
"Maybe we should do this some other time. If you're getting sick I don't want to drag you around a cold field all afternoon."  
  
"No! If we don't go this week all the good trees will be gone! We can't wait until next week because the plan is to put the tree up then."  
  
How could argue with that kind of logic...and the soulful brown eyes?  
  
"Whatever you say, darlin'," he said dubiously and shifted the truck into reverse. As he turned to check the space behind him he caught sight of Jubilee loudly cracking her gum and blowing bubbles.  
  
"Let's get something straight," he said sweeping them all with a patented Wolverine glare, "I don't want any singing. No 'John Brown's Body,' no '99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall,' nothing! And if you don't wanna listen to the classic rock station, I suggest you pull out your Walkmen because I ain't taking any requests!"  
  
He nodded curtly to keep himself from smiling at the satisfaction he got watching them all cower back into the seats.  
  
The trip to the farm was relatively uneventful except for Bobby shoving a snowball down the back of Remy's jacket and the Cajun retaliating by incinerating Bobby's portable CD player. He'd growled at them and opened the window to clear out the stench of melting PVC and the rest of the ride proceeded quietly.  
  
Upon their arrival Santa greeted them with a hearty "Ho Ho Ho" that made Logan want to string him up by his red suspenders and give him a very painful wedgie.  
  
The girls all gathered around while St. John took pictures of them with the jolly old elf. He contented himself with retrieving the tree saw from the back of the truck.  
  
"Geez, Wolvie! That's what you're gonna use?" Jubilee yelled incredulously, pointing to the tree saw. "Id've thought the big bad Wolverine would use his adamantium claws or something. Or at least a hatchet for some rustic atmosphere."  
  
"Can it, Lee," Logan growled.   
  
Marie grabbed a map, which indicated the fields for each variety of tree. After careful consultation, the kids decided they wanted a Fraser Fir since according to Kitty they smelled the nicest had the best needle retention and Logan had given his begrudging approval as the most knowledgeable woodsman out of all of them. He couldn't figure out why the kid even cared since she was Jewish.  
  
Of course the Fraser Fir field was at the complete far end of the property necessitating the obligatory sleigh ride in an honest to goodness horse drawn sleigh, complete with bells, which made a circuit of the entire farm dropping people off at whatever field they wanted to visit. He rolled his eyes as Marie tried to drag him onto the sled and told her he'd walk and meet them there. A slight grin curved the side of his mouth as she and the other girls giggled and started a rousing chorus of "Jingle Bells" as the sleigh pulled away. He was still concerned that she looked a little pale and reminded himself to make sure she was all buttoned and bundled when he met up with them.  
  
He arrived at the field to find all hell had broken loose in the ten minutes they had been without him. Bobby was busy building an elaborate snow fort. St. John had built them all a fire to stay warm, which was a great idea except anyone passing by would wonder why the hell there was no wood burning. Jubilee and Gambit were running around 'decorating' trees. She was paffing madly into the needles and Remy was balancing charged cards on the ends of the branches. They had a couple of trees close to the point of combustion. Kitty was phasing in and out of the trees trying to get the "all around view of the bare spots." And in the midst of this chaos, Rogue was eyeing trees with the look of a connoisseur.  
  
"Judas Priest!!!!" Logan roared. "Are you six out of your Milk Dud sized brains?"  
  
They all stopped what they were doing and stared at him mouths agape.  
  
"Don't you realize that anyone can walk by and see you all using your powers? This ain't the woods, as much as you'd like to pretend it is. It ain't even close. It's a FARM where they grow these things so people who've never been to the woods can pretend they've gotten back to nature and judging by the crowds in the parking lots we're not the only ones here trying to live the fantasy.  
  
"So you," he pointed at Bobby, "ice down those damn trees the flake and the Cajun almost torched. Pyro, put that fire out! Kitty stay the fuck still."  
  
When everyone had done as they were told and stood before him properly subdued, he nodded.  
  
"Alright, now let's get a freakin' tree and get the hell out of here!"  
  
"Gosh, Logan. You don't have to be so loud about it!" Marie huffed at him. "If they didn't know we were mutants before they sure as hell do now with all you're yellin'."   
  
"I'm sorry, Marie. I didn't mean to yell. I know this means a lot to ya and I'm really trying to go along with it like a good sport for your sake, but you know what kind of riot could take place if people saw them using their powers."  
  
She pursed her lips and looked at a spot somewhere over his left shoulder and nodded, then turned to join her friends.  
  
Shit. He'd fucked up big time. He spoiled a "Marie day" and he always felt lower than dog shit when he did something like that. He'd have to make it up to her big time.  
  
Being the resilient kids they were they bounced back from his scolding almost immediately and were soon running around like crazed banshees checking out trees.  
  
Bobby surreptitiously made an ice slide and perched at the top of a tree in the beatific pose of an angel.  
  
"What do you think about this one?" He called down.  
  
"Bobby! Get down from there now!" Kitty hissed, warily eyeing a momentarily distracted Logan.  
  
"Drake you've got no taste! That tree is all scrawny on top and has a big naked spot in the back," Jubilee told him disgustedly. "Why don't you guys just stay out of this and let us women handle it?"  
  
This brought gasps of outrage from the boys, particularly from Remy who couldn't imagine anyone questioning his taste about anything.  
  
As Logan had suspected this bickering and haggling went on for almost an hour. They had gotten him down on his hands and knees at least a dozen times ready to make a cut when one of them would shriek and stop him because they'd found a better tree.   
  
Next year, he vowed, next year I'll be far away from Westchester when Christmas comes around and this will all be One Eye's problem! Bastard!  
  
Finally, finally Marie gave her final approval and he cut down the tree that would grace the Xavier's School for Gifted Youngster's parlor in all its dead glory.  
  
The three boys dragged it back to the front of the farm and paid for it while the girls followed along behind.  
  
He caught up to them just as the boys were securing the tree to the top of the truck. The girls were all drinking hot chocolate out of Styrofoam cups.  
  
Marie had opened the passenger side door and was sitting on the running board.  
  
He approached her. "So it all turned out ok, eh?"   
  
She looked up at him, face white as a sheet except for two scarlet spots on her cheeks. He could see her eyes looked glassy and he became slightly alarmed.  
  
"You feeling ok, Marie? You look a little flushed."  
  
"Actually, I'm not feeling very well Logan."  
  
Alarm bells went off in his head. He'd heard that before several times. He took a cautious step back but it was too late. Rogue, his little Marie, was doubled over ralphing all over his feet. He gingerly held her hair back while she emptied the contents of her stomach in the pristine snow.  
  
The other kids just stood rooted to their spots. Bobby blanched white, flashbacks of St. Patrick's Day running thorough his brain.  
  
Logan gently lifted Marie into the passenger seat and felt the heat of her skin through all her layers of clothing. Poor kid had the flu and hadn't wanted to spoil anyone's day. Meanwhile he'd spoiled hers.  
  
He turned to the other kids.  
  
In an unnaturally calm voice he said, "Alright everyone, back in the car. It's time to go home now."  
  
Damn! He knew once he got Marie settled back at the school One-Eye was gonna have a field day with this one. Bastard! He could hear him now - "Logan the puke magnet." He'd have to make sure to get Scotty some nice thumbscrews for Christmas! 


End file.
